The system was to be released on 9/9/99 with more potential hits than any before it (NFL 2K, Soul Calibur, NFL Blitz 2000, etc.). But it wasn't those games Sega chose as their second pre-release rental. Instead of the biggest, they went with a little-known title from Capcom called Power Stone. 

Though it had qualities of Street Fighter and other Capcom hits, Power Stone did not follow the usual fighting game trends. Combos were limited to a couple of hits, power-up moves were limited to one per character, and special attacks were almost nonexistent.

The lack of common features was overshadowed by the free-roaming gameplay, interactive stages, and the inclusion of objects that can be used as weapons. These objects included everything from tables and chairs to pipes (think Final Fight), swords, and rocket launchers. Power Stone may have been less complex than other fighting games, but it was no less creative nor any less inspiring to the games we have today.

Fast forward to 2006, a time when Power Stone has almost been forgotten. Gamers are used to getting a thousand sequels from Capcom; Power Stone only had one. It's been nearly half a decade since we've heard from the series. Where has it been? Where is it going next?

A third installment has yet to be released, but Capcom has finally ported the game to a Sony machine – none other than the PlayStation Portable. Featuring all the bells and whistles of the original and its sequel, Power Stone Collection brings everything you loved to Sony's handheld, plus new weapons and mini-games but minus the super-crisp graphics. 

The First Stone

Power Stone is a 3D fighter along the lines of Smash Bros. and Shrek SuperSlam. Every stage, though covered in objects and attractive architecture, is more or less a fairly large square. You can move anywhere you want within that square – a bar, for example – pick up objects and toss them at your opponents. Close combat does not occur very frequently. Players will spend most of the time using the rocks, crates, jugs, and other pieces that act as the game's most important weapons.

Being most important, however, does not make them the most powerful. Flamethrowers, guns, rocket launchers and other unlikely weapons randomly appear during battle. They usually arrive via treasure chests – walk over to a chest and it'll open automatically. You'll have to press a button (circle) to grab objects and official weapons.

The name Power Stone comes from the three glowing stones that appear in each stage. They are – say it with me – the Power Stones. Collecting all three will temporarily transform your character into a stronger, more lethal warrior that can fire unlimited projectiles. Rouge, a woman whose kick really packs a punch, has the transformation Scorching Beauty. She wields the power of fire, adding three attacks to her arsenal: fire stream (ground), fireballs (midair), and a stronger jump kick.

Falcon's heat-seeking missiles bring back memories of Sector from Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (oh how I miss the good old days). Ryoma, a master swordsman, transforms into a metallic knight, adding an enemy-seeking blast, faster sword strikes, and a lunging aerial attack to his move list. Jack, the requisite freak of the bunch (every fighting game has one), can stretch his arms for a spinning sword attack that targets the location, ground or midair, of your opponent.

Over 10 fighters are at your disposal, with some locked until the game has been completed. That's the extent of Power Stone's entertainment, but that ended up being enough. The gameplay, though not as deep as, say, Marvel Vs. Capcom, was and still is one of the most unique and entertaining evolutions of the genre. 

Another Helping

Power Stone 2 was one of the most unlikely sequels. You expect fighting games to follow trends, especially in the early years. Drastic changes could occur by the fourth or fifth edition, but not yet.

At least that's what I thought. Power Stone 2 held firm on the idea that the series should be a free-roaming fighter. Then the game questioned, "What if this was also an action/adventure? What if we mixed the two genres?"

The answer is somewhat of a mixed bag. Power Stone 2 is nearly the same package as the original plus new features that take the series in another direction. In the first, you fought for the best out of three rounds. The sequel replaces the round system with a larger health meter. This was done for a very important reason, and is unfortunately one of the reasons why the game didn't succeed in all of its ventures.

More health means longer battles. The developers needed to extend the battles in order to extend the battle environments, which appears to be their real goal. Whereas before you had several square arenas, Power Stone 2 crams more than one battle locale into each.

In one of the levels you'll start out battling on top of an airship. The ship is covered in usable objects, weapons, and of course the Power Stones.

Suddenly the ship starts to fall apart. It explodes, sending you and your opponent on a brief skydive to the next arena. You can snatch items while falling, and will eventually slam into the ground and be allowed to resume combat.

In another stage, players will battle it out over waterways in an old-fashioned city. Sounds peaceful, right? But you're forgetting that this is Power Stone 2. Something must go wrong, and it does. The camera switches to a near side-scrolling perspective, and the word "Go" appears on screen.

Soon the world starts to go up in flames. It's your goal to run in the opposite direction, make it to the top of a building (by jumping up and cross several platforms), and enter the safe house, which is yet another fighting location. The cool thing here is that you can still hit your opponent while trying to flee to safety. 

But while I like the ideas, and probably would have voted for them in a developer poll, the game ends up being slower and – you guessed it – less exciting because of them.

Fighting games are meant to be high in replay value, but short in terms of individual battles. Power Stone 2 is one of the few that have tried to accomplish both. If it had succeeded, we might have been faced with one of the greatest and most groundbreaking Dreamcast releases. But it's too long and too slow to compare to the original, a quick and painless fighter that is as mainstream as a game can get.

Gameplay: 7.5
One great game. One so-so sequel. One decent port for diehard fans. Seven years haven’t made Power Stone lose its edge. In fact, I’m enjoying it more on PSP than I did in ’99 on Dreamcast. The quick, pick-up-and-throw objects, gotta-grab-the-stones gameplay is a blast. The sequel disappoints, but that shouldn’t deter you from Power Stone Collection if you love the original, or if you enjoyed Shrek SuperSlam, one of the few games that use this style of play.

Graphics: 7.9
Power Stone Collection is a good-looking game, but the PSP isn’t quite powerful enough to create the same high-res, jaggie and pixelation-free characters and backgrounds found in the Dreamcast originals.

Sound: 8
Great music from a Capcom fighter? That’s a no-brainer. Power Stone Collection delivers the classic tunes from the original, all of which sound great on PSP.

Difficulty: Easy
If you missed it in 1999 Power Stone Collection might seem a little challenging. But if you’ve played it before you know what to expect: no matter how much fun, this is one of the easiest fighters you’ll play.

Concept: 7
New mini-games (such as a top-down, Tiger Electronics-style shooter – very primitive), unlockable weapons, and other additional content that are amusing, but not a must-have.

Multiplayer: 7.5
Awesome two-player combat from Power Stone; slower and less exciting four-player combat from its sequel. Game sharing is available, but only for a single-player trial edition. To experience the multiplayer options, you’ll need at least two copies of the game.

Overall: 7.5
Fast, frantic, and highly entertaining gameplay – from the first Power Stone. Power Stone 2 isn’t nearly as exciting. The sequel is worth playing, but know that this is not worth buying as a “collection.” Buy it for the original if you love the original.